International leading catering management and training business provider, MCTC has long believed the role of a messman to be as crucial as that of the Chief Cook and COVID-19 has shone a light on their importance as being instrumental in holding the fort in an emergency.

MCTC’s Head of Training & Catering, Kyriacos Georgiou said: “Messmen are pivotal to the running of a vessel. We always advise messmen to take our Safe Food Handling and Nutrition Course because their role in the galley as food handlers is very important. We have supplied full catering management to vessels throughout the worldwide pandemic with ease thanks to our local connections and contacts. However, we have relied on messmen to step up to the plate when the Chief Cook has fallen ill and been unable to perform his duties. In these difficult times they’ve proven to be invaluable.”

As part of the Safe Food Handling and Nutrition Course, our culinary experts run virtual onboard visits to ensure all training is being implemented but also understood fully.

Christina Ioannou, Food Technologist, explained: “We regularly undertake onboard vessel visits but COVID-19 has pushed us to do them virtually which has allowed us to conduct more vessel visits which has been crucial if crew have fallen ill. The messmen have risen to the challenge and have been brought to the forefront of the galley when the chief cook is out of action; it’s clear to us that messmen have proven their weight in gold.”

MCTC’s Managing Director, Christian Ioannou added: “I think COVID-19 has highlighted that every position onboard the vessel is vital but also that messmen are such a strong support network. It’s imperative we value them and appreciate their importance within the galley.”

MCTC’s full Catering Management service provides clients with the complimentary Catering Competency Development programme which is designed to increase standards in the galley by training and supporting catering staff.